Urban poverty

Joshua Clottey is a household name in the world of boxing. A former IBF welterweight champion, Joshua Clottey has scored 41 wins in his career, including 24 knockouts and 5 losses. Clottey has played against many multiple-time world champions, including Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao — regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. Joshua Clottey is a Legend On the Streets of Jamestown, Accra Joshua Clottey, 43 years old, is a Ghanaian former professional boxer and a former IBF welterweight champion. Joshua Clottey had been playing soccer at Jamestown in Accra, Ghana's capital city. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka Chasant Joshua Clottey started in the poor neighborhoods of Accra. But he’s now a legend on the street — where everyone calls him “champ” (in short for champion). He went out into the world and made some name for himself. He even made his country proud. Clottey is listed as being based in Bronx, NY, USA. But he does visit Ghana. And when he does, he loves to play street football on concrete with Jamestown residents, including the urban poor, as a respect for the street. “I played football before going into boxing,” Said Clottey, when I asked how he felt having fun on the street. “I’m happy to play among my people,” he added. Joshua Clottey plays street football in Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantFormer Ghanaian professional boxer Joshua Clottey kicks a ball at Jamestown, Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka Chasant This excited me greatly. The youth trapped in poverty in this urban slum can use some inspiration. In fact, it was the only reason why I pulled out my camera. Jamestown, Accra, Ghana Aerial view of Jamestown, a suburb in downtown Accra, Ghana. Copyright @ 2020 Muntaka Chasant A lot of Ghana's great boxers, including Joshua Clottey, grew up around Jamestown and its adjoining poverty-stricken communities. Jamestown is one of the low-income areas of Accra, where poverty is endemic. It is also one of the oldest districts in the city — home to many crumbling colonial buildings. Using traditional kilns to smoke fish at Jamestown, Accra, Ghana. This exposes fish processors and consumers to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, known carcinogens linked to several cancers. It is also a major source of air pollution around the area. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantFish smoking in Ghana: A woman uses metal drum kilns to smoke tuna fish in Accra, Ghana. Using traditional kilns to smoke fish exposes fish smokers to substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), fine particles, and carbon monoxide. PAHs are known carcinogens and have been linked to skin, lung, and several other cancers. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantAerial view of an "abattoir" at Jamestown that uses scrap tires to singe livestock. Despite the public health risks, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly has done very little to tackle this problem. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka Chasant The area has some of the worst polluted hotspots in the city — including the use of biomass to smoke fish 24/7 and the burning of scrap tires to singe livestock. Joshua Clottey Plays Street Football Photos I captured the scenes below a few minutes before and after sunset. Football in Ghana: Men play football on concrete in Accra, Ghana's capital city. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantFootball in Ghana: Men play street football on concrete at Jamestown, Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantStreet football in Ghana with the former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantStreet football in Ghana: Jamestown residents play football on concrete. Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantThe professional boxer Joshua Clottey plays street football in Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantStreet football: The former International Boxing Federation Welterweight champion Joseph Clottey plays street football with Jamestown residents in Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantGhanaian former professional boxer Joshua Clottey plays street football in Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantFormer IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey plays street football in Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantStreet football in Ghana: Jamestown residents, including the boxer Joshua Clottey, play football near the street at Jamestown, Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantStreet soccer image: Joshua Clottey and other Jamestown residents play soccer near the street at Jamestown in Accra, Ghana's capital city. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantStreet football in Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantFootball in Ghana: Man dribbles as he plays street football in Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantStreet soccer in Ghana: Jamestown residents, including the Ghanaian former professional boxer Joshua Clottey, play soccer on concrete at Jamestown, a suburb in Accra, Ghana's capital city. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka Chasant Joshua Clottey at Jamestown, Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka Chasant For me, Joshua Clottey plays on urban streets to promote inclusion and inspire young people. And I’m a big fan of anyone who looks out for young people in their community. Young people in Ghana bear the greatest burden of poverty, according to Ghana's 2020 Multidimensional Poverty index. Facing multiple deprivations, a lot of them have been forced to the margins of society — to fend for themselves. More than half of Ghana's population was born after 1995. For youth development around Jamestown and the other nearby low-income areas, people such as Charles Quartey, the former national captain of the Black Bombers, deserves a thumbs up. Charles Quartey — Training the Next Generation of Ghanaian Boxers Charles Quartey in front of the Charles Quartey Boxing Foundation — next to a tabletop 'pharmacy'. The Charles Quartey Boxing Foundation is located across the Sodom and Gomorrah slum (near Timber Market) in Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka Chasant Charles Quartey, 45 years old, started the Charles Quartey Foundation to admit the homeless and the urban poor — to shelter, feed, and train them to fight for their lives and honor. Mr. Quartey was an active amateur boxer between 1990 and 2002. He and Joshua Clottey were teammates at the regional and national level. "Joshua Clottey is disciplined, and for me, he is one of the greatest boxers in Ghana's history," Said Mr. Quartey when I asked about Joshua Clottey. Mr. Quartey also mentioned Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey, and Alfred Kotey — all grew up around Jamestown and its adjoining communities — as some of his all-time favorites. Charles Quartey. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantCharles Quarter captained Ghana's Black Bombers between 1992 to 2002. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantCharles Quartey, 45 years, is a Ghanaian former amateur boxer. He was simultaneously in the Ghana military from 1995 to 2002. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka Chasant A gold medalist, he captained the Black Bombers, the national team, in the early and late 90s. Mr. Quartey lived in Queens, New York, USA, where he worked in construction between 2002 and 2012. He returned to Ghana to set up his foundation. Mr. Quartey added: "A lot of young people around Accra central are trapped in poverty and drugs. I'm happy to shelter, feed, and help them channel their pain and struggles into boxing." Below are some of the young people Mr. Quartey is shepherding: Youth boxing in Ghana: Charles Quartey, a Ghanian former amateur boxer, trains young people from low-income communities in Accra to fight. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantAmateur Ghanaian boxer trains at the Charles Quartey Boxing Foundation in Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka ChasantBoxing in Ghana: Young amateur boxers train at the Charles Quartey Boxing Foundation in Accra, Ghana. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka Chasant Boxing around the Jamestown area appears to be closely linked with desperate poverty. For a lot of the urban poor, boxing is a catalyst for social mobility. I'm hoping to do some ethnography on urban poverty, youth, and boxing in the Accra area soon. Let me know what you think about Joshua Clottey playing street football with the urban poor in the comment section below Copyright © 2020 Muntaka Chasant

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